British Youth Council – Resource Centre

Posted:20/01/2012

The British Youth Council (BYC) website has a resource centre with many useful pieces providing information and activities based around children’s participation. The centre has twelve sections, each of which with its own topic and a wide selection of resources. The section topics include: youth councils, members, campaigning, how to guides, training materials, BYC documents, international, research and reports, policy briefings and consultation responses, young people and inspections, BYC awards and BYC manifesto.

The youth council section is full of tips and information on how to engage children and young people in local youth councils and to maintain their involvement. The advice comes in the form of activity and project suggestions along with information guides, promotional materials and more. Below are examples of some of the resources from under the youth council heading.

The participatory activity sheet ‘If I was in charge...’ suggests a way of bringing children and young people together to discuss issues that concern them and to think up possible solutions in a fun and creative way. The sheet sets out an introduction, the equipment needed for the activity and the methods for its completion. In this case the aim is for children to take the issues and solutions they have discussed directly to the Town Hall. Here the children can display their findings, via posters produced by the group, in the member’s suite of the town hall for example.

The project activities look at ways children and young people can make a change, as well as adults taking the opportunity to look at issues through the eyes of children and young people. The project information sheets take the reader through a project stage by stage, with many being giving the option of full or shorter period projects for those who may have time constraints.

Other useful resources found within this section are the team building games and ice-breakers. These short, fun activities are a great way of bringing a group together, as well as a fun way to start a meeting!

To explore the resource centre please click here to visit the website.